A Monte Carlo investigation of Swank noise for thick, segmented, crystalline scintillators for radiotherapy imaging
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 (United States)
Thick, segmented scintillating detectors, consisting of 2D matrices of scintillator crystals separated by optically opaque septal walls, hold considerable potential for significantly improving the performance of megavoltage (MV) active matrix, flat-panel imagers (AMFPIs). Initial simulation studies of the radiation transport properties of segmented detectors have indicated the possibility of significant improvement in DQE compared to conventional MV AMFPIs based on phosphor screen detectors. It is therefore interesting to investigate how the generation and transport of secondary optical photons affect the DQE performance of such segmented detectors. One effect that can degrade DQE performance is optical Swank noise (quantified by the optical Swank factor I{sub opt}), which is induced by depth-dependent variations in optical gain. In this study, Monte Carlo simulations of radiation and optical transport have been used to examine I{sub opt} and zero-frequency DQE for segmented CsI:Tl and BGO detectors at different thicknesses and element-to-element pitches. For these detectors, I{sub opt} and DQE were studied as a function of various optical parameters, including absorption and scattering in the scintillator, absorption at the top reflector and septal walls, as well as scattering at the side surfaces of the scintillator crystals. The results indicate that I{sub opt} and DQE are only weakly affected by absorption and scattering in the scintillator, as well as by absorption at the top reflector. However, in some cases, these metrics were found to be significantly degraded by absorption at the septal walls and scattering at the scintillator side surfaces. Moreover, such degradations are more significant for detectors with greater thickness or smaller element pitch. At 1.016 mm pitch and with optimized optical properties, 40 mm thick segmented CsI:Tl and BGO detectors are predicted to provide DQE values of {approx}29% and 42%, corresponding to improvement by factors of {approx}29 and 42, respectively, compared to that of conventional MV AMFPIs.
- OSTI ID:
- 22100569
- Journal Information:
- Medical Physics, Vol. 36, Issue 7; Other Information: (c) 2009 American Association of Physicists in Medicine; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-2405
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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